Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-27
THE WHITE CAP" TERRORISM.

1t seems incredible that in so old Il set
tied community as Indiana such terrorism
and subordination of the law can be exer-
cised as prevails in the south end of that
State. The White Cap u" organization is
sort of ku-Klux gang that takes the law
into its own hands and executes its own
will upon people regardless of the Courts
and peace officers. The Vigilantes of 1851
and 1856, in California, had at least the
excuse that the law was PROSTATE, many Of
its administrators corrupt, and that thieves,
murderers and roughs ruled in the commu-
nifty. No such plea can be advanced for
the Indiana White Caps. They are not
called to aid in enforcing the law, nor are
they the indignant protest of the people
against official corruption or incompe-
tency and the prostitution of law. Their
secret work of hanging, whipping, beating
and exiling, is visited upon offenders
against social codes mainly, and against
men and women the regulators do not like
L
conspirators undertake to punish the i'm
moral, exile those whose private lives do
not square with their cwn ideas of propriety,
and to whip and brand those they dislike
and who do not live according to conven-
tional methods, or who stand in the way
of any of the regulator membership. This
lawless combination has terrorized the
country and has the officials under such
COW, that they do not dare to take any
steps for the breaking up of the gang. A
citizen from the terrorized district stated to
an indianapolis contemporary the other day
that the public mind outside the district
cannot appreciate the condition of the ter
rorized inhabitants in some portions of the
countries dominated by the organization.
1t has come to such pass that many of
the best citizens dare not express them
selves, and the gentleman in question
added that, since he must return TO Orange
county, he could not afford under his own
name, even at that distance, to make COM
plant of the gang. On his way out he
met farmer, who had been prominent in
the county, who was hurrying away from
the infested district with his family and
all his portable possessions, impelled by
the White Caps, who had made one assault
on him and had given fair warning that
he must be out of range before certain
time. He had been OBJ ised to leave his
farm, and this he vas trying to sell
through another. The premises had been
plundered by the outlaws. This informant
was asked by the reporter why the people
did not appeal to the local authorities. and
he replied: /" 1t is not safe to complain at
all. The Governor has advised the county
otiicers'that he will assist in prosecuting
the marauders, but he does not know the
gang, and the local authorities fear any
attempt to ascertain who compose it. The
county officials are 50 terrorized that they
do not dare to institute prosecutions.
They are in many instances the creatures
of the regulators. A Justice of the Peace
IN one section was recently found to be
member of the gang that had had been
Systematically robbing the stores and his
neighbors."
This same informant said that " if the
witnesses could be protected an abundance
of testimony could be furnished. He
knew of one case where the White Caps
assaulted a respectable farmer at mid
night. They were beating him unmerci-
fully, when his daughter ran from the
house, and, having seized knife, began TO
fight the guard vino had been left with
the horses. She succeeded in cutting
loose several of the horses, and in doing so
cut cash in the breast of one.
The regulators took after their horses, and
the next day the wounded horse could be
tracked to the barn of one of The most
prominent citizens in the township" In
conclusion, he said: "The southern sec
ton OF the State cannot prosper or attract
new settlers until these gangs are
squelched. Some of us are ready 10 take
up arms or leave the accused region for
ever"
This is singular state of affairs in a
State where it is not claimed that there has
been any gross failure to enforce the laws,
or to protect life and property. The
terrorism has continued now over three
months, and lawful authority appears to be
utterly unable to cope with the emergency.
The moral and physical courage of a
people that can be thus cowed by hand
full of rascals, who, under the guise of
driving out immortality, exile meanness,